The Scramble for Earth

In the days of the mid-20th century, the planet Earth appeared outwardly at peace. Though a dozen conflicts raged in the world’s jungles and uncountable civil disputes plagued the governments of that planet, in a stark contrast to a decade before and thirty years before that, the easily visible signs of a world in conflict could not be found. Had a visitor suggested the world was in a state of tranquility, the inhabitants of that planet might have expressed a different opinion. New technologies gave the two premier governments of the world, at odds over differing views on the proper ordering of the economy, the ability to annihilate virtually every living thing on the planet. Fear of destruction by humans on the other end of the globe hung over the minds of people on every continent. Few would guess that the troubles of the Earthlings, that then seemed so grave, would soon become petty and insignificant in the face of an event entirely unprecedented in human history.


Many trillions of miles away, discussions that would change the earth forever had just concluded. After many sessions of fierce argument, the Transgalactic League had finally voted to open a small planet, third from the sun of its system, to members of the League. After Earthlings had demonstrated their rise out of barbarism with the harnessing of the atom, the long-standing prohibition on exploitation and visitations of that backwater had been revoked. Though many League members had opposed the ban’s end, few League states can resist the temptation to acquire territories on the resource-rich Earth. Unbeknownst to the Earthlings, the first of the conquest fleets have set course for their small planet. The Scramble for Earth has begun.

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Basically, this is a generic 1950s alien invasion setting. Dozens of alien empires are landing on the Earth in hopes of gathering slaves/conducting science missions/world conquest/extracting resources/etc. As so often happened in movies of 1950s, armies of extraterrestrials face off against American soldiers, but I have thrown in a twist that has long been of interest to me: a Second Civil War between north and south over desegregation. I’ve been inspired by classic science fiction moives like War of the Worlds and the Day the Earth Stood Still (as well as homages like Super 8 and Mars Attacks!) which portray large-scale Earthshattering events as well as space monster movies of that decade. Earth is under attack from numerous alien empires, allowing for nearly any miniatures to be pitted against the soldiers and farmers of the Earth.  While my primary intention is humans vs. aliens, there is no reason giant monsters could not also be included.


The setting of the game would be a sort of stereotyped late 1950s/early 1960s that does not pay full attention to the fact that, say, the Little Rock Crisis and election of President Kennedy were years apart. I think the wide range of factions and possible battlegrounds allows for many different types of battles: a large-scale engagement between the army and a large invasion force, farmers fighting off cattle-abducting UFOs, and frightened desert-dwelling suburbanites against unknown monsters are all easily possible.


Some of the factions involved I have fleshed out are listed below:


US Army - Committed to restoring order to the south and maintaining territorial integrity against  extraterrestrial invaders.  These are pretty much the generic troops in World War Two vintage uniforms that end up being ineffectual against the invaders.  Despite their firepower, are easily outgunned and are often found in a state of retreat after hours of waiting for alien landing craft to open.

Men in Black - A secret government agency founded in late 40s/early 50s after Roswell to deal with aliens. Unaware invasion will occur, but generally more knowledgeable and useful than the army.

New Confederate States of America - secede from US following invasion in opposition to desegregation. Consist of original Confederate states minus Texas.  I imagine the miniatures for the Confederates to be similar to the US, but painted gray.

Second Texas Republic - Pretty similar to the CSA, but with an ego two hundred times larger.

People’s Republic of New Africa - countersecede from NCSA. Stronger on paper than in actuality, because only a small minority southern African-Americans actually support PRNA.  Use US army figures but with armbands and communist symbols painted on their helmets and vehicles.

Republic of Puerto Rico - I figured I might as well throw a revolt in Puerto Rico into the mix, as there was an active secessionist movement there around 1950.  It also allows for scenarios based in San Juan with Chupacabras.

The flag of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party.

Country Folk - Most are just trying to survive and scratch out a living despite alien invasion and civil war. Divided between support for union and confederacy.  Their inclusion allows for the classic "redneck vs. alien" conflict to be played out.

Civilians - These range from your lawn variety teenagers out on the mesa to aged veterans to conveniently-located scientists with knowledge of astronomy and medicine.

OK, this isn't from a science fiction movie, but this is the sort of place teenagers who stumble upon crashed flying saucers probably hang out.

Andromedan Empire - gray aliens.  Intend to take Roswell (where one of their ships that broke League law crashed) and recover missing crew and equipment.  Chiefly interested in scientific research (though it requires abduction and rather gruesome medical processes) rather than conquest.

Martians - Generic vehicle-using aliens.  Physically weak, and rarely seen outside their vehicles.

Reptilians - Like to mutilate cattle.  Rather vicious.

Hopkinsville Goblins  - Primarily seen in Kentucky, not especially dangerous.

Little Green Men - Much like the grays.  Docile and less violent.

  

These are the ideas I have had thus far.  I would like the game some encounters in this universe, but cannot do so anytime soon due to other commitments.  I hope the inclusion of many alien empires will allow me to use my vast collection of science fiction aliens (though none of them fit into the above categories),  so I will only have to purchase their human opponents.  There really is no reason why I or anyone else could not game an invasion of, say, Britain or Russia, but I have only written about the US as my knowledge of the culture and science-fiction of that time period is limited to the United States.